1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adjustable chair armrest and more particularly to a vertically and horizontally adjustable chair armrest that is simply constructed and easy to use.
2. Description of the Related Art
Office chairs are frequently adjustable in seat height and armrest height. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,755,488, 5,765,804 and 5,971,484. Some of these chair armrests are also adjustable horizontally as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,203. However, such armrests are complicated structurally and/or difficult to use.
What is described here is a vertically and horizontally adjustable chair armrest comprising a support for connecting to a chair, the support having a longitudinally extending opening, a plurality of notches located in the opening, a guide tube positioned in the opening of the support, the guide tube being movable relative to the support in a longitudinal direction wherein the height of the guide tube relative to the support is changeable, an elongated element mounted in the guide tube, the elongated element being rotatable relative to the guide tube, a locking element mounted to the elongated element and rotatable therewith to selectively engage and disengage the notches, an activator mounted to the elongated element, the activator being movable relative to the elongated element and causing the elongated element to rotate, a spring operatively connected to the activator for biasing the activator, a lever operatively connected to the support for causing the activator to move, a cap mounted to the guide tube, and an armrest base operatively connected to the cap, the armrest base being movable in a generally horizontal direction relative to the cap.
There are a number of advantages, features and objects achieved with the present invention which are believed not to be available in earlier related devices. For example, one advantage is that the present invention provides an armrest assembly that is easily adjustable both vertically and horizontally. Another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable chair armrest that is simply constructed and reliable. Yet another advantage of the present invention is an armrest assembly that is easy to form and then easy to assemble.
A more complete understanding of the present invention and other objects, advantages and features thereof will gained from a consideration of the following description of a preferred embodiment read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing provided herein. The preferred embodiment represents an example of the invention which is described here in compliance with Title 35 U.S.C. section 112, but the invention itself is defined by the attached claims.